Hair straightening iron

ABSTRACT

A hair straightening iron including and an air heating device in air flow with the blower. The hair straightening iron includes a hose functionally coupled to the blower. The hair straightening iron includes an iron in airflow communication with the air heating device. The iron includes a body consisting essentially of a material having a thermal conductivity of greater than about 0.1 kW/(m*K). The iron includes an interior channel within the body having an effective ratio of channel area to cross-sectional flow area greater than about 90. The interior channel includes a plurality of heat transfer vanes. The iron includes a straight edge extending along a length of the body and including an elongated nozzle extending along a majority of the length of the straight edge through which heated air exits the iron. The nozzle includes an array of holes.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This invention claims priority, under 35 U.S.C. §120, to the U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/761,493 to David Muth Hadden filed on Feb. 6, 2013, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to hair styling devices, specifically to a forced-air hair-straightening iron.

2. Description of the Related Art

Hair straightening is a hair styling technique used since 1980 which involves the flattening and straightening of hair in order to give it a smooth, streamlined, and ‘sleek’ appearance. It may be accomplished using a hair iron or hot comb, or chemical relaxers. In addition, some shampoos, conditioners, and hair gels may help to make hair temporarily straight. If done often, flat irons and chemicals may be damaging to hair. Excessive straightening often results in split ends. However, heat protectant sprays may decrease the damage.

Hair irons and hot combs may only temporarily modify the shape/texture of hair. The straightened effect will be reversed by environmental factors, mainly contact with water from washing, rain, humidity, etc. This includes water in styling products such as gels applied after straightening, although careful use of such treatments can still produce usable results not much different from if the user had naturally straight hair before applying the product.

Some improvements have been made in the field. Examples of references related to the present invention are described below in their own words, and the supporting teachings of each reference are incorporated by reference herein:

U.S. Pat. No.: 5,841,943, issued to Nosenchuck, discloses an axial flow hair dryer comprises a main housing and an outer duct secured to the main housing with the axis of the outer duct coincident with the axis of the main housing and with the axial air outlet of the main housing disposed within the outer duct to form an annular air intake between the main housing and the outer duct. A first fan stage and first stator stage are disposed within the main housing and a second fan stage and second stator stage are disposed within the outer duct. A handle depending from the main housing holds a motor that is mounted using vibration-absorbing material to inhibit the propagation of noise generated by the motor. A flexible shaft connects the motor to a drive shaft that carries both fan stages. Resistance heating wires are wrapped around the vanes of the first stator stage to heat the air flowing through the hair dryer.

U.S. Pat. No.: 6,293,030, issued to McCurtis et al., discloses a hood fitted with a fan in the crown that directs air flow upward from the hood interior. The hood has a liner that provides an air distribution plenum between hood and liner. Air flows from the plenum toward hair being dried from holes in the plenum. Some of the holes are, preferably, fitted with movable jets which can be rotated to provide the out flow pattern preferred for the particular hair style being dried.

U.S. Pat. No.: 6,782,363, issued to Lee et al., discloses a method and apparatus for performing real-time endpoint detection for use in automatic speech recognition. A filter is applied to the input speech signal and the filter output is then evaluated with use of a state transition diagram (i.e., a finite state machine). The filter is advantageously designed in light of several criteria in order to increase the accuracy and robustness of detection. The state transition diagram advantageously has three states. The endpoints which are detected may then be advantageously applied to the problem of energy normalization of the speech portion of the signal.

U.S. Pat. No.: 7,039,301, issued to Aisenburg et al., discloses after washing, the hands are dried rapidly and comfortably by using a shaped high speed flow of heated air. The air flows in a direction controlled by an air outlet shaped to retain much of the exiting forceful air flow and temperature at a distance where the hands are dried. The air entrainment is controlled so that the properties of the air flow are not diluted by the air entrainment to a point where the drying performance is degraded. The forceful air flow blows off most of the loose water on the hands. The forceful air flow also reduces the stagnation boundary layers in the hands so that the evaporation removal of the remaining film of water is improved. These result in reduced drying time and comfort during and after drying.

U.S. Pat. No.: 7,267,098, issued to Tasanont, discloses a device for generating a vortex of the airflow passing through an air intake passage of an engine. The device comprises a cylindrical skirt, a plurality of holes in the cylindrical skirt and a plurality of vanes projecting inwardly from the inner surface of the cylindrical skirt. Each of the holes is defined by at least bottom, top, first and second side edges. Each of the vanes comprise a first planar section projecting at an angle from the first edge of the hole and a second planar section projecting at an angle from the first planar section. The device can be installed inside any cylindrical air intake passage. The orientation of the first and second planar sections of the vanes helps in converting the random airflow into a regular swirling motion, which increases the oxidation of fuel and improves the efficiency and fuel economy of the engine.

The inventions heretofore known suffer from a number of disadvantages, including but not limited to being too heavy, not being ergonomic, being unbalanced, being difficult to use, causing hand/wrist injury, being expensive, not allowing for combined function of drying and straightening in a single device, having too large a hose/handle diameter, being inefficient in heating, being difficult to hold if one has small hands, requiring too much material to build/manufacture, requiring too much waste during manufacturing, requiring two hands to straighten hair, being difficult to straighten hair with, taking too long to straighten hair, not drying at the same time straightening hair, requiring electrical contacts to heat the straightening iron, being dangerous, and being likely to burn skin on contact with the straightening iron.

What is needed is a hair straightening iron that solves one or more of the problems described herein and/or one or more problems that may come to the attention of one skilled in the art upon becoming familiar with this specification.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been developed in response to the present state of the art, and in particular, in response to the problems and needs in the art that have not yet been fully solved by currently available hair straightening irons. Accordingly, the present invention has been developed to provide an effective and efficient hair straightening iron.

According to one embodiment of the invention, there is a hair straightening iron. The hair straightening iron may include a blower. The hair straightening iron may include an air heating device that may be in air flow with the blower. The iron may include a hose that may be functionally coupled to the blower; wherein the iron may be selectably removable from the hose.

The hair straightening iron may include an iron that may be in airflow communication with the air heating device. The iron may include a body that may be consisting essentially of a material having a thermal conductivity of greater than about 0.1 kW/(m*K). The iron may include an interior channel that may be within the body that may have an effective ratio of channel area to cross-sectional flow area greater than about 90. The interior channel may be textured. The interior channel may include a plurality of heat transfer vanes. The iron may include a straight edge that may be extending along a length of the body and may include an elongated nozzle that may be extending along a majority of the length of the straight edge through which heated air exits the iron. The nozzle may include an array of holes.

The hair straightening iron may include a heat shield that may be disposed about the iron but not covering the straight edge. The hair straightening iron may include a funnel and a comb extending from the straight edge.

Reference throughout this specification to features, advantages, or similar language does not imply that all of the features and advantages that may be realized with the present invention should be or are in any single embodiment of the invention. Rather, language referring to the features and advantages is understood to mean that a specific feature, advantage, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, discussion of the features and advantages, and similar language, throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, refer to the same embodiment.

Furthermore, the described features, advantages, and characteristics of the invention may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize that the invention can be practiced without one or more of the specific features or advantages of a particular embodiment. In other instances, additional features and advantages may be recognized in certain embodiments that may not be present in all embodiments of the invention.

These features and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, or may be learned by the practice of the invention as set forth hereinafter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order for the advantages of the invention to be readily understood, a more particular description of the invention briefly described above will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments that are illustrated in the appended drawing(s). It is noted that the drawings of the invention are not to scale. The drawings are mere schematics representations, not intended to portray specific parameters of the invention. Understanding that these drawing(s) depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are not, therefore, to be considered to be limiting its scope, the invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawing(s), in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a hair straightening iron, according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a bottom perspective view of a hair straightening iron, according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of portions of a hair straightening iron, according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 is side elevational cross-sectional view of a hair straightening iron, according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a bottom plan cross-sectional view of a hair straightening iron, according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a module diagram of a hair straightening iron, according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 7 is an exploded view of an iron and casing of a hair straightening iron, according to one embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the exemplary embodiments illustrated in the drawing(s), and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended. Any alterations and further modifications of the inventive features illustrated herein, and any additional applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated herein, which would occur to one skilled in the relevant art and having possession of this disclosure, are to be considered within the scope of the invention.

Many of the functional units described in this specification have been labeled as modules in order to more particularly emphasize their implementation independence. For example, a module may be implemented as a hardware circuit comprising custom VLSI circuits or gate arrays, off-the-shelf semiconductors such as logic chips, transistors, or other discrete components. A module may also be implemented in programmable hardware devices such as field programmable gate arrays, programmable array logic, programmable logic devices or the like. Modules may also be implemented in software for execution by various types of processors. An identified module of programmable or executable code may, for instance, comprise one or more physical or logical blocks of computer instructions which may, for instance, be organized as an object, procedure, or function.

Nevertheless, the executables of an identified module need not be physically located together, but may comprise disparate instructions stored in different locations which, when joined logically together, comprise the module and achieve the stated purpose for the module. Indeed, a module and/or a program of executable code may be a single instruction, or many instructions, and may even be distributed over several different code segments, among different programs, and across several memory devices. Similarly, operational data may be identified and illustrated herein within modules, and may be embodied in any suitable form and organized within any suitable type of data structure. The operational data may be collected as a single data set, or may be distributed over different locations including over different storage devices, and may exist, at least partially, merely as electronic signals on a system or network.

The various system components and/or modules discussed herein may include one or more of the following: a host server, motherboard, network, chipset or other computing system including a processor for processing digital data; a memory device coupled to a processor for storing digital data; an input digitizer coupled to a processor for inputting digital data; an application program stored in a memory device and accessible by a processor for directing processing of digital data by the processor; a display device coupled to a processor and/or a memory device for displaying information derived from digital data processed by the processor; and a plurality of databases including memory device(s) and/or hardware/software driven logical data storage structure(s).

Various databases/memory devices described herein may include records associated with one or more functions, purposes, intended beneficiaries, benefits and the like of one or more modules as described herein or as one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize as appropriate and/or like data useful in the operation of the present invention.

As those skilled in the art will appreciate, any computers discussed herein may include an operating system, such as but not limited to: Android, iOS, BSD, IBM z/OS, Windows Phone, Windows CE, Palm OS, Windows Vista, NT, 95/98/2000, OS X, 0S2; QNX, UNIX; GNU/Linux; Solaris; MacOS; and etc., as well as various conventional support software and drivers typically associated with computers. The computers may be in a home, industrial or business environment with access to a network. In an exemplary embodiment, access is through the Internet through a commercially-available web-browser software package, including but not limited to Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, Firefox, Opera, and Safari.

The present invention may be described herein in terms of functional block components, functions, options, screen shots, user interactions, optional selections, various processing steps, features, user interfaces, and the like. Each of such described herein may be one or more modules in exemplary embodiments of the invention even if not expressly named herein as being a module. It should be appreciated that such functional blocks and etc. may be realized by any number of hardware and/or software components configured to perform the specified functions. For example, the present invention may employ various integrated circuit components, e.g., memory elements, processing elements, logic elements, scripts, look-up tables, and the like, which may carry out a variety of functions under the control of one or more microprocessors or other control devices Similarly, the software elements of the present invention may be implemented with any programming or scripting language such as but not limited to Eiffel, Haskell, C, C++, Java, Python, COBOL, Ruby, assembler, Groovy, PERL, Ada, Visual Basic, SQL Stored Procedures, AJAX, Bean Shell, and extensible markup language (XML), with the various algorithms being implemented with any combination of data structures, objects, processes, routines or other programming elements. Further, it should be noted that the present invention may employ any number of conventional techniques for data transmission, signaling, data processing, network control, and the like. Still further, the invention may detect or prevent security issues with a client-side scripting language, such as JavaScript, VBScript or the like.

Additionally, many of the functional units and/or modules herein are described as being “in communication” with other functional units, third party devices/systems and/or modules. Being “in communication” refers to any manner and/or way in which functional units and/or modules, such as, but not limited to, computers, networks, mobile devices, program blocks, chips, scripts, drivers, instruction sets, databases and other types of hardware and/or software, may be in communication with each other. Some non-limiting examples include communicating, sending, and/or receiving data and metadata via: a wired network, a wireless network, shared access databases, circuitry, phone lines, internet backbones, transponders, network cards, busses, satellite signals, electric signals, electrical and magnetic fields and/or pulses, and/or so forth.

As used herein, the term “network” includes any electronic communications means which incorporates both hardware and software components of such. Communication among the parties in accordance with the present invention may be accomplished through any suitable communication channels, such as, for example, a telephone network, an extranet, an intranet, Internet, point of interaction device (point of sale device, personal digital assistant, cellular phone, kiosk, etc.), online communications, off-line communications, wireless communications, transponder communications, local area network (LAN), wide area network (WAN), networked or linked devices and/or the like. Moreover, although the invention may be implemented with TCP/IP communications protocols, the invention may also be implemented using other protocols, including but not limited to IPX, Appletalk, IP-6, NetBIOS, OSI or any number of existing or future protocols. If the network is in the nature of a public network, such as the Internet, it may be advantageous to presume the network to be insecure and open to eavesdroppers. Specific information related to the protocols, standards, and application software utilized in connection with the Internet is generally known to those skilled in the art and, as such, need not be detailed herein. See, for example, DILIP NAIK, INTERNET STANDARDS AND PROTOCOLS (1998); JAVA 2 COMPLETE, various authors, (Sybex 1999); DEBORAH RAY AND ERIC RAY, MASTERING HTML 4.0 (1997); and LOSHIN, TCP/IP CLEARLY EXPLAINED (1997), the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

Reference throughout this specification to an “embodiment,” an “example” or similar language means that a particular feature, structure, characteristic, or combinations thereof described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases an “embodiment,” an “example,” and similar language throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, all refer to the same embodiment, to different embodiments, or to one or more of the figures. Additionally, reference to the wording “embodiment,” “example” or the like, for two or more features, elements, etc. does not mean that the features are necessarily related, dissimilar, the same, etc.

Each statement of an embodiment, or example, is to be considered independent of any other statement of an embodiment despite any use of similar or identical language characterizing each embodiment. Therefore, where one embodiment is identified as “another embodiment,” the identified embodiment is independent of any other embodiments characterized by the language “another embodiment.” The features, functions, and the like described herein are considered to be able to be combined in whole or in part one with another as the claims and/or art may direct, either directly or indirectly, implicitly or explicitly.

As used herein, “comprising,” “including,” “containing,” “is,” “are,” “characterized by,” and grammatical equivalents thereof are inclusive or open-ended terms that do not exclude additional unrecited elements or method steps. “Comprising” is to be interpreted as including the more restrictive terms “consisting of” and “consisting essentially of.”

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a hair straightening iron, according to one embodiment of the invention. There is shown a hair straightening iron 10 including an iron 40 enclosed in a heat shield casing and a hose body 16 housing a heating device configured to heat forced air before the forced air enters the iron. The hose body is shaped to be coupled to a hose and thereby be in fluid communication with a blower.

The illustrated hair straightening iron 10 straightens hair by concentrating a heated airflow through an iron in an airflow path that has a high effective surface area such that heat transfers from the heated air to the iron. The heated air exits a straight-edge face of the iron and can be used to dry hair during the process. The straight-edge of the iron is applied across a length of a collection of hair and the heated straight-edge thereby straightens the hair.

Because the iron is not heated directly by an electrical device, the iron heats and discharges its heat in a manner that is more gentle on the hair and on the stylist, thereby reducing the chance of burns or damage to the hair. The structure also reduces the number of components and devices that must be present at the iron region of the device, thereby, compared to other straightening irons, reducing the effective weight of that region. This reduces stress on the hands and wrist of the stylist and allows the stylist to more easily and accurately control the placement of the iron, thereby resulting in a better experience for the one being styled.

The hair straightening iron 10 includes a blower (not shown). Various blower types may be functionally coupled to the iron including but not limited to forward-curved air blowers, backward-inclined air blowers, backward-curved air blowers, radial air blowers, airfoil air blowers, centrifugal blowers, positive-displacement blowers and the like and combinations thereof. Such a blower will generally be coupled to the iron by an air conduit, such as but not limited to a hose. Accordingly, air blown thereby will be forced through the iron and its associated structure.

The hair straightening iron 10 includes an air heating device in air flow communication with the blower such that forced air from the blower passes through/by the air heating device in a manner that allows heat exchange therewith, thereby heating the air as it traverses the air heating device. Such air heating devices are generally electrical heaters having heating elements, but may include other heating structures such as but not limited to heat pumps, Peltier heaters, fluid-based heat exchangers and the like and combinations thereof. Electrical heating elements generally operate whereby electrical current passes through an array of resistance heating circuits (often coils or other similar structures having a high effective surface area densely packed into a small volume). In hair dryers, the heating elements are generally encased in a structure to prevent inadvertent touching thereby during operation, but are exposed to the airflow so that heat exchange with the flowing air may occur. Heat shields and non-conductive materials generally surround the heating element in a cylindrical form, thereby providing such protection.

The iron 10 includes a hose body 16 functionally coupled to the blower. The hose body encases the heating device and provides a handle which the stylist can hold during the operation of the device. The hose body will generally include insulating and non-conducting materials and will be shaped to encase the heating device and the airflow conduit to the iron, but also shaped to be comfortable to hold.

The iron 10 may be selectably removable from the hose body 16 and/or may include a connecting structure that allows for a range of motion in relation to the hose body. As a non-limiting example, the iron may couple to the hose body using a coupling structure that allows the iron to swivel about its long axis while still remaining coupled to the hose body. Accordingly, a stylist operating such a configured device will be able to swivel the iron to a desired orientation during use and/or to swivel the iron during a sweep of the iron across a collection of hair. As a non-limiting example, the iron may fit into a casing of the hose body that has a lip structure circumferentially about an interior of the casing that mates with a lip structure disposed circumferentially about an exterior of the mating portion of the iron such that when coupled, the lips allow for rotational travel of the iron within the casing, but do not permit lateral motion of the iron, thereby trapping the iron within the casing while still permitting it to swivel.

The hair straightening iron 10 includes an iron 40 in airflow communication with the air heating device. The iron 40 includes a body 18 consisting essentially of a solid material having a high thermal conductivity, such as but not limited to having a thermal conductivity (coefficient) of greater than about any of 0.1, 0.05, and 0.15 kW/(m*K), and/or such as but not limited to thermally conductive metals, and/or such as but not limited to a material having a thermal conductivity high enough to allow the iron to straighten hair using heat transfer from heated air to apply heat to the hair during the operation thereof. Generally, most metals have a high thermal conductivity and most plastics/rubbers/resins/woods have a low thermal conductivity (e.g. having a thermal conductivity of less than about 0.001 1 kW/(m*K), though there are exceptions. The following are sample thermal conductivities for various materials in SI units of kW/(m*K): Aluminium 0.21; Copper 0.39; Lead 0.035; Silver 0.24; Water ˜0.00058; Air 0.000026; Asbestos 0.00008; Brick 0.00063; and Glass 0.00105.

The illustrated iron 40 includes a straight edge 22 extending along a length of the body 18. The straight edge 22 is an elongated and substantially flat portion of the iron which has a high thermal conductivity. It is shaped and positioned to be placed against collections of hair and be drawn across the same, thereby permitting heat to transfer thereto while the hair is in a generally straight configuration. Such an application of heat generally tends to cause hair to, at least temporarily, straighten. The straight edge may be curved and/or textured (e.g. scalloped, stepped, serrated) if specific effects are desired. The straight edge 22 includes an elongated nozzle 26 extending along a majority of the length of the straight edge 22 through which heated air exits the iron.

The illustrated nozzle 26 includes an array of holes 32 through which the heated air exits the iron after passing through an interior of the iron body. Having an array of holes instead of an elongated slit through which the air can exit increases the effective surface area of the interior of the iron body while also increasing the turbulence of the airflow exiting the iron body, thereby causing an increased mixing of heated exiting air with the ambient air and thus decreasing the distance from the straight edge at which the exiting air is still hot to the touch. Such advantageously increases the safety and comfort for the stylist and the person being styled while still permitting the iron body to operate at a sufficiently high temperature to allow for effective hair straightening. The exiting heated air also helps to dry the hair, as hair to be straightened is sometimes wetted to increase the effectiveness of the straightening and/or to make the hair easier to work with.

According to one embodiment of the invention, there is a hair straightening iron configured to straighten and dry hair to a desired style. The hair straightening iron includes a hair dryer device coupled to a hair straightening iron. The hair dryer device is configured to provide heated forced air out of the hair straightening iron. The hair straightening iron includes a metal body having a straight edge along a ridge where a plurality of apertures allow the heated forced air to project therethrough. The heated air heats up the metal body of the hair straightening iron; wherein the hair straightening iron is used, as an iron on the hair, to straighten the hair while drying.

FIG. 2 is a bottom perspective view of a hair straightening iron, according to one embodiment of the invention. There is shown a hair straightening iron 10 including an iron 40 including a body 18, an interior channel 20, and a straight edge 22.

The illustrated hair straightening iron 10 includes an iron 40 in airflow communication with an air heating device. The iron 40 includes a body 18 consisting essentially of a material having a high thermal conductivity. Accordingly, the iron body may easily transfer heat along the body and especially to the straight edge region thereof, since, in the operation thereof, the straight edge portion is where heat will be drawn from the iron body during use.

The iron 40 includes an interior channel 20 within the body 18 having a high ratio of channel area (the interior area of the iron body subject to heat exchange with the flowing air) to cross-sectional area of flow (the area of the cross-section taken perpendicular to the vector of airflow through the interior of the iron body), such as but not limited to a ratio greater than about 50, 75, 90, 100, 110, 120, 130, 140, and/or 150 and/or greater than a constant determined by calculating the heat transfer from air to iron body needed to maintain the straightedge at a desired temperature during use using standard thermal conductance calculations, determined by expected operating conditions including but not limited to hair temperature, safe operating temperature ranges for the iron, temperature of the heated air, airflow velocity of the heated air, thermal conductivity of hair, and the like. As a non-limiting example, an interior channel may have the following dimensions: 2 mm wide, 25 mm tall and 120 mm long, thereby having a channel area of (2 mm×25 mm (end plate) plus 2 mm×120 mm (top plate) plus 25 mm×120 mm ×2 (two side plates) plus 2 mm×120 mm×0.65 (nozzle with holes through 40% of the surface)=6446 mm̂2 and a cross-sectional area of flow of 50 mm̂2. Thus the ratio of channel area to cross-sectional area of flow would be ˜129. Wherein an interior of the iron body is textured (e.g. includes fins, vanes such as but not limited to those found on heat sinks in electronic components, roughing of the surface) then the effective channel area may be greater than what is calculated just by multiplying simple dimensions as discussed above. In one non-limiting embodiment, the interior cavity of the body is shaped as an elongated rectangular body, similar to the cavity of a sheath for a blade.

Accordingly, when a volume of heated air traverses the volume of the interior channel, it is highly exposed to the interior surface of the iron body, this allowing for large amounts of heat exchange to occur, thus heating the iron body, most importantly heating the straight edge.

The illustrated iron 40 includes a straight edge 22 extending along a length of the body 18 and including an elongated nozzle 26 extending along a majority of the length of the straight edge 22 through which heated air exits the iron 40. The nozzle 26 includes an array of holes 32.

There is a bypass cooling air channel formed by a gap between the iron body and the casing (heat shield, e.g. plastic casing) around the iron body. There are air inlets upstream from the iron body that permit outside air to enter into the bypass cooling air channel. The bypass cooling air channel terminates in an exit aperture adjacent to the nozzle such that airflow out of the nozzle generates a low pressure region at the exit aperture(s) of the bypass cooling air channel. Such a low pressure region causes outside air to flow into the bypass cooling air channel, over the iron body and then out near the nozzle. Accordingly, an exterior surface of the iron body and the interior surface of the casing disposed about the same will exchange heat with the flowing cool air, thereby reducing the temperature of the exterior of the casing. Channel sizes, gap sizes, heated air temperatures, airflow volume from the blower, and materials may be selected and coordinated in a manner such that the combination of the characteristics of the same permit operation of the iron at operating parameters that allow for the stylist to be able to touch the exterior of the casing without being burned or even without any discomfort, even though the iron may be hot enough to burn and the device may be used for many hours of a day.

FIG. 3 is a partial exploded view of components of a hair straightening iron, according to one embodiment of the invention. There is shown a set of metal parts shaped to be fitted together and thus together create the iron body and associated metal portions of hair straightening iron 10 including an iron 40 including a body 18 and a straight edge 22.

In particular, there is shown an iron body coupled to a funnel shaped fitting configured to channel air into the interior of the iron body and a cylindrical fitting configured to provide structure in coupling the iron to the hose body. Also shown are a couple of matched cylindrical fittings configured to help direct airflow in the hose body.

The illustrated hair straightening iron 10 includes an iron 40 in airflow communication with an air heating device and a blower. The iron 40 includes a body 18 consisting essentially of a material having a high thermal conductivity, such that heat exchange with the heated air flowing through an interior of the iron is easily/quickly transferred to the straight edge thereof which then easily/quickly exchanges heat with hair applied thereto. The body 18 is configured to fit within an exterior housing of the hair straightening iron 10. The iron 40 includes a straight edge 22 extending along a length of the body 18 and including an elongated nozzle 26 extending along a majority of the length of the straight edge 22 through which heated air exits the iron 40.

FIG. 4 is side elevational cross-sectional view of a hair straightening iron, according to one embodiment of the invention. There is shown a hair straightening iron 10 including an air heating device 14 inside a hose body 16, and an iron 40 coupled thereto with a funnel-shaped fitting member.

The illustrated hair straightening iron 10 includes an air heating device 14 disposed within a housing of the hair straightening iron 10 and in air flow with a blower. The iron 10 includes a hose 16 functionally coupled to a blower, wherein the iron 10 is selectably removable from the hose 16. The blower is disposed remote from the hair straightening iron 10 to reduce the weight thereof.

The hair straightening iron 10 includes an iron 40 in airflow communication with the air heating device 14. The iron 40 includes a body 18 consisting essentially of a material having a thermal conductivity of greater than about 0.1 kW/(m*K). The iron 40 includes an interior channel 20 within the body 18 having an effective ratio of channel area to cross-sectional flow area greater than about 90. The iron 40 includes a straight edge 22 extending along a length of the body 18 and including an elongated nozzle 26 extending along a majority of the length of the straight edge 22 through which heated air exits the iron 40. The hair straightening iron 10 includes a heat shield 24 disposed about the iron 40 but not covering the straight edge 22.

The heat shield is disposed inside the handle and is configured to be spaced a very small distance from an inner surface of the exterior surface of the handle, such as but not limited to being spaced between two of about 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 mm from the inner surface of the handle; wherein air is able to blow past that region, thereby keeping the exterior surface of the handle protected from the heat of the air heating device disposed therein, and creating cool touch technology.

FIG. 5 is a bottom plan cross section view of a hair straightening iron, according to one embodiment of the invention. There is shown a hair straightening iron 10 including an air heating device 14 and an iron 40.

The illustrated hair straightening iron 10 includes an air heating device 14 disposed within a housing of the hair straightening iron 10 and in air flow with a blower. The iron 10 includes a hose functionally coupled to a blower, wherein the iron 10 is selectably removable from the hose. The blower is disposed remote from the hair straightening iron 10 to reduce the weight thereof.

The hair straightening iron 10 includes an iron 40 in airflow communication with the air heating device 14. The iron 40 includes a body 18 consisting essentially of a material having a thermal conductivity of greater than about 0.1 kW/(m*K). The iron 40 includes an interior channel 20 within the body 18 having an effective ratio of channel area to cross-sectional flow area greater than about 90. The interior channel 20 is configured to redirect air around the iron 40, thereby cooling the exterior surface of the hair straightening iron 10. The iron 40 includes a straight edge 22 extending along a length of the body 18 and including an elongated nozzle 26 extending along a majority of the length of the straight edge 22 through which heated air exits the iron 40. The illustrated nozzle 26 includes an array of holes 32. The straight edge 22 is configured to increase the temperature of the air flowing therethrough from the air heating device 14. The hair straightening iron 10 includes a heat shield 24 disposed about the iron 40 but not covering the straight edge 22.

FIG. 6 is a module diagram of a hair straightening iron, according to one embodiment of the invention. There is shown a hair straightening iron 10 including a control module 50, a heater module 52, a straightener module 54, a blower module 56, a power module 58, and a communication module 60.

The illustrated hair straightening iron 10 is configured to straighten and dry hair. The hair straightening iron 10 includes a hair dryer device having a handle and a hair straightening iron attachment selectably coupleable thereto.

The hair straightening iron 10 includes a control module 50 disposed about a handle of the hair straightening iron 10. The control module 50 is configured to provide operational controls and instructions to the components and modules of the hair straightening iron and the modules, attachments, and components functionally coupled thereto. Non-limiting examples of a control modules may be a control module described in U.S. Pat. No.: 5,430,836, issued to Wolf et al.; or a control module described in U.S. Pat. No.: 6,243,635, issued to Swan et al. which are incorporated for their supported teachings herein. A control module may include but is not limited to a processor, a state machine, a script, a decision tree, and the like.

The hair straightening iron 10 includes a heater module 52 functionally disposed within the handle of the hair straightening iron 10. The heater module 52 includes a heater or heating elements configured to heat air passing through the handle of the hair straightening iron 10. The heater module 52 is in communication with the control module 50; wherein the control module 50 provides operational instructions and commands to the heater module 52. Non-limiting examples of a heater module may be a heater module as described in U.S. Pat. No.: 5,507,103; or a heater module as described in U.S. Pat. No.: 3,946,498, which are incorporated for their supporting teachings herein.

The hair straightening iron 10 includes a blower module 56 functionally disposed within a handle of the hair straightening iron 10. The blower module 56 is configured to force air through the handle of the hair straightening iron, through the heater module 52 and out a nozzle of the hair straightening iron 10. The blower module 56 includes a motor configured to provide mechanical movement capabilities thereto. The blower module 56 is in communication with the control module 50 and configured to provide operational instructions and commands thereto. Non limiting examples of a blower module may be a blower as described in U.S. Patent Publication No.: 2007/0033825; or a blower as described in U.S. Patent Publication No.: 2008/0263887, which are incorporated for their supporting teachings herein.

The hair straightening iron 10 includes a straightening device 54 functionally disposed within the iron 10 and in fluid communication with the heater module 52 and the blower module 56. The straightening device 54 is configured to concentrate the heated airflow from the heater module 52 and the blower module 56 out a nozzle of the hair straightening iron 10. The straightening device 54 consists essentially of a material having high thermal conductivity. The straightening device 54 also includes an interior channel within a body of the iron having an effective ratio of channel area to cross-sectional flow area greater than about 90. The straightening device 54 includes a straight edge extending along a length of the body and including an elongated nozzle extending along a majority of the length of the straight edge through which heated air exits the iron. The nozzle includes an array of holes.

The hair straightening iron 10 includes a communication module 60 in communication with the modules and components of the iron 10. Such communication may be embodied simply as one or more wires (including power wires serving dual power/signal purpose) between the control module 50, heater module 52, and the blower module 56. Such communication module may be more complicated such as but not limited to including a wireless communication module in communication with the control module and the heater module 52 and the blower module 56. The wireless communication module 60 is configured to provide wireless communication to the hair straightening iron 10. Non-limiting examples of a communication module may be but not limited to: a communication module described in U.S. Pat. No.: 5,307,463, issued to Hyatt et al.; or a communication module described in U.S. Pat. No.: 6,133,886, issued to Fariello et al. which are incorporated for their supported herein.

The hair straightening iron 10 includes a power module 58 in communication with the modules and components of the iron 10. The power module 58 is configured to provide power to the modules and components of the hair straightening iron 10. The power module 58 is in communication with the heater module 52 and the control module 50; wherein the input of the power supply determines the heat intensity of the heater module 52. The power module 58 is in communication with the blower module 56 and the control module 50; wherein the input of the power supply determines the air force intensity of the blower module 56. Non-limiting examples of a power module may be a power module described in U.S. Pat. No.: 6,337,803, issued to Kikcuhi et al.; or a power module described in U.S. Pat. No.: 5,608,595, issued to Gourab et al. which are incorporated for their supporting teachings herein.

FIG. 7 is an exploded view of an iron of a hair straightening iron, according to one embodiment of the invention. There is shown a pair of casings (heat shield) that mate about an iron 40 including a body 18, having an interior channel, and a straight edge 22 with holes. The mating casings shield the operator from the heat of the iron when it is in operation and provide location for grasping and manipulating the iron.

The illustrated iron 40 is in airflow communication an air heating device and a blower of a hair straightening iron. The iron 40 includes a body 18 consisting essentially of a material having a high thermal conductivity. The iron 40 includes an interior channel disposed within the body 18 having an effective ratio of channel area to cross-sectional flow area greater than about 90. The iron 40 includes a straight edge 22 extending along a length of the body 18 and including an elongated nozzle 26 extending along a majority of the length of the straight edge 22 through which heated air exits the iron. The nozzle 26 includes an array of holes 32. The illustrated interior channel includes a plurality of heat transfer vanes 36. The illustrated interior channel is textured 34.

It is understood that the above-described embodiments are only illustrative of the application of the principles of the present invention. The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiment is to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.

It is expected that there could be numerous variations of the design of this invention. A non-limiting example is that the heat shield disposed about the iron body may include decorative effects. Another non-limiting example is that the hose body may include finger grips and a logo plate.

Finally, it is envisioned that the components of the device may be constructed of a variety of materials, including but not limited to metals and composite metals (e.g. copper, silver, aluminum, brass, steel), plastics, resins, rubbers, ceramics, natural fibers, wood, and the like and combinations thereof.

Thus, while the present invention has been fully described above with particularity and detail in connection with what is presently deemed to be the most practical and preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that numerous modifications, including, but not limited to, variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use may be made, without departing from the principles and concepts of the invention as set forth in the claims. Further, it is contemplated that an embodiment may be limited to consist of or to consist essentially of one or more of the features, functions, structures, methods described herein. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A hair straightening iron, comprising: a) a blower; b) an air heating device in air flow with the blower; c) a hose functionally coupled to the blower; and d) an iron in airflow communication with the air heating device and including: d1) a body consisting essentially of a material having a thermal conductivity of greater than about 0.1 kW/(m*K); d2) an interior channel within the body having an effective ratio of channel area to cross-sectional flow area greater than about 90; and d3) a straight edge extending along a length of the body and including an elongated nozzle extending along a majority of the length of the straight edge through which heated air exits the iron.
 2. The iron of claim 1, further comprising a heat shield of low thermal conductivity disposed about the iron but not covering the straight edge.
 3. The iron of claim 1, further comprising a funnel.
 4. The iron of claim 1, further comprising a comb extending from the straight edge.
 5. The iron of claim 1, wherein the iron is selectably removable from the hose.
 6. The iron of claim 1, wherein the nozzle includes an array of holes.
 7. The iron of claim 1, wherein the interior channel is textured.
 8. The iron of claim 1, wherein the interior channel includes a plurality of heat transfer vanes.
 9. A hair straightening iron, comprising: a) a blower; b) an air heating device in air flow with the blower; c) a hose functionally coupled to the blower; d) an iron in airflow communication with the air heating device and including: d1) a body consisting essentially of a material having a high thermal conductivity; d2) an interior channel within the body having an effective ratio of channel area to cross-sectional flow area greater than about 90; and d3) a straight edge extending along a length of the body and including an elongated nozzle extending along a majority of the length of the straight edge through which heated air exits the iron; and e) a heat shield disposed about the iron but not covering the straight edge.
 10. The iron of claim 9, further comprising a funnel.
 11. The iron of claim 10, further comprising a comb extending from the straight edge.
 12. The iron of claim 11, wherein the iron is selectably removable from the hose.
 13. The iron of claim 12, wherein the nozzle includes an array of holes.
 14. The iron of claim 13, wherein the interior channel is textured.
 15. The iron of claim 14, wherein the interior channel includes a plurality of heat transfer vanes.
 16. A hair straightening iron, comprising: a) a blower; b) an air heating device in air flow with the blower; c) a hose functionally coupled to the blower; wherein the iron is selectably removable from the hose; d) an iron in airflow communication with the air heating device and including: d1) a body consisting essentially of a material having a thermal conductivity of greater than about 0.1 kW/(m*K); d2) an interior channel within the body having an effective ratio of channel area to cross-sectional flow area greater than about 90; wherein the interior channel is textured; wherein the interior channel includes a plurality of heat transfer vanes; and d3) a straight edge extending along a length of the body and including an elongated nozzle extending along a majority of the length of the straight edge through which heated air exits the iron; wherein the nozzle includes an array of holes; e) a heat shield disposed about the iron but not covering the straight edge; f) a funnel; and g) a comb extending from the straight edge. 